and few of his poems are more characteristic of this side of
his nature.

ADDRESS TO THE DEIL

O thou! whatever title suit thee,
Auld Hornie, Satan, Mick, or Clootie, [Hoofie]
Wha in yon cavern grim an' sootie,
Clos'd under hatches,
Spairges about the brunstane cootie, [Splashes, dish]
To scaud poor wretches! [scald]

Hear me, auld Hangie, for a wee, [Hangman]
An' let poor damned bodies be;
I'm sure sma' pleasure it can gie,
Ev'n to a deil,
To skelp an' scaud poor dogs like me, [spank, scald]
An' hear us squeal!

Great is thy pow'r, an' great thy fame;
Far kenn'd an' noted is thy name;
An', tho' yon lowin' heugh's thy hame, [flaming pit]
Thou travels far;
An' faith! thou's neither lag nor lame, [backward]
Nor blate nor scaur. [shy, afraid]

Whyles rangin' like a roarin' lion
For prey, a' holes an' corners tryin';
Whyles on the strong-wing'd tempest flyin',
Tirlin' the kirks; [Stripping]
Whyles, in the human bosom pryin',
Unseen thou lurks.

I've heard my reverend grannie say,
In lanely glens ye like to stray;
Or, where auld ruin'd castles gray
Nod to the moon,
Ye fright the nightly wand'rer's way,
Wi' eldritch croon. [weird]

When twilight did my grannie summon
To say her pray'rs, douce, honest woman! [sedate]
Aft yont the dyke she's heard you bummin', [beyond]
Wi' eerie drone;
Or, rustlin', thro' the boortrees comin', [elders]
Wi' heavy groan.

Ae dreary windy winter night
The stars shot down wi' sklentin' light, [squinting]
Wi' you mysel I gat a fright
Ayont the lough; [pond]
Ye like a rash-buss stood in sight [clump of rushes]
Wi' waving sough. [moan]

The cudgel in my nieve did shake, [fist]
Each bristled hair stood like a stake,
When wi' an eldritch stoor 'quaick, quaick,' [weird, harsh]
Amang th